US Secy Blinken speaks briefly with his Russian counterpart Lavrov at G20 meeting sidelines

New Delhi: US State Secretary Antony Blinken on Thursday spoke briefly with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the meeting of Foreign Ministers of the G20 nations in New Delhi.

The meeting was the first face-to-face meeting between the two Foreign Ministers since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began over a year ago.

During the less-than-10-minute exchange, Blinken urged Russia to reverse its decision to suspend cooperation in the New START nuclear arms treaty



and accept a US proposal for the release of US citizen Paul Whelan.

               

While addressing a press conference in New Delhi yesterday, Lavrov said it is high time to reform the UN Security Council. He said, Russia does not feel isolated. The West is isolating itself now, he added. He further said that the West refused to include Russia's proposal on the need for an investigation of Nord Stream blasts in the G20 final declaration.